The life of faith in Jesus Christ is what we are called to! If Romans 10 is a call to righteousness exclusively through faith then Romans 11 is a warning to exclusive trust in the divine influence and hold on to that confession of faith. Jesus is the root that the branch must be connected to. All other connections are outside of God's divine order.
Romans 11:1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
Paul is affirming that God has not completely cast away His people the Jews. However, they must come in through faith in Jesus Christ just is Paul did. Like Elijah, walking in righteousness can seem like a lonely road. It is a scheme of the enemy to make you feel isolated and alone. There is a divine response that says you are not alone. We can look at the wicked society and feel what Elijah felt but God has a divine response; God has a people who have not caved into the wickedness of the world. This is a people who have responded the grace found in Jesus Christ alone.
Romans 11:5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
The Jews can come in but it must be through grace. If one can make it into covenant by works then it is not grace. If one can make it into covenant with God by grace it cannot be works. It is by grace alone!
Romans 11:7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." 9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always."
A spirit of stupor came because the way of faith was rejected. Remember the Election according to God’s foreknowledge principle. They stumbled at the cornerstone Jesus Christ. God allowed their eyes to be darkened.
Romans 11:11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
God’s heart is still toward Israel. Now He is using their fall to provoke them into jealousy. It is God’s will they see those who have relationship with God so great, it stirs up desire on their part to return to a fullness of relationship with God. Prophetic utterance is here! If their fall resulted in our blessing, how much more will their fullness of relationship bring blessing.
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
The Jewish nation being cast away was the reconciling of the world through Jesus Christ. How much the more shall their acceptance be. Here is a prophetic word declaring a greater manifestation of Jesus Christ at the reconciling of Israel to God.
Romans 11:16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
The firstfruit is Jesus! Jesus Christ Himself is the root of this tree! The cornerstone indeed. We were grafted into the tree through Jesus Christ; we became a partaker of the root and the fatness of the olive tree.
Romans 11:18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."
Do not boast against the branches! Careful what you speak. The word of wisdom is we do not support the root, but the root supports us! Israel was broken off so the church could be grafted in; no room for boasting!
Romans 11:20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
Faith or unbelief is the defining factor; we stand by faith, being properly placed, in Jesus Christ being our righteousness. If one walks away from faith , like the natural branch, that one will not be spared.
Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
The fullness of grace teaching declare the truth; consider the goodness and severity of God. We must continue in His goodness. If the object of ones faith is taken away from being in Christ that one will be cut off.
Romans 11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
If Israel does not continue in unbelief God will graft them in again. This is a prophetic promise to all Israel.
Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
The blindness of Israel was only in part; God’s heart is still toward them. Can you hear the heart beat of the heavenly Father to graft in Israel at the fullness of the Gentiles.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
Jesus will come out of Zion; He Himself will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Jesus brings the covenant that takes away their sins! The Father has brought us the blood of the everlasting covenant. Jesus will accomplish what the law of Moses could not.
Romans 11:28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
The time of the Gentiles will conclude and the Father will turn His heart back to Israel. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable! God’s gifts are given without repentance.
Romans 11:30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
God’s plan has always been to bring mercy to the sinner, mercy o the children of Israel, and mercy to the children of promise. His intent is that none should perish but all should come to repentance.
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Consider the goodness of God. Consider His desire to extend to you the specter of righteousness. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! I love these verses! It seems Paul is overwhelmed meditating and declaring the fullness of grace. God is great and is to be glorified and magnified, and indeed is above all!
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